Everest Base Camp Trek – 12 Days

After a short 30-minute scenic flight into Lukla, we start our adventure by introducing you to your porters and guides. Then we’ll set off on the trek along the Dudh Koshi River towards Phakding. You’ll pass fluttering prayer flags, suspension bridges, and green valleys.

Today’s trek through the Pine forests has some incredible high-slung bridges to navigate over, including the famous Hillary Bridge, and the uphill climb into the busy Sherpa town of Namche Bazaar is very exciting as glimpses of Mt. Everest start to appear in the distance.

Rest and explore today! For example, you can hike to the Everest View Hotel (3,880m) for incredible views of Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam. Alternatively, you can visit the Sherpa Culture Museum, or simply relax with a cup of coffee in this unique little alpine market town.

Today we’ll walk down from Namche through beautiful rhododendron forests before tracking the Dudh Kosi River back uphill to Tengboche, which is home to the largest monastery in the region. Ama Dablam is the centerpiece of the scenery from here, so make sure to take a bunch of pictures.

To help with altitude adaptation, do a side hike to Nangkartshang Peak (5,083m) or Chukhung Valley, where you will have outstanding views of Makalu and other 8,000m giants.

You will start out with a very gradual incline, which will get steeper before Thukla Pass, where there are solemn memorials where fallen climbers are remembered. Once you have crossed Thukla Pass, the trail becomes relatively flat before Lobuche, which is surrounded by many lofty ice walls.

By far the most rewarding day. You will start the day with a short trek to Gorak Shep, where you will drop your bags, and then trek to Everest Base Camp. This will involve trekking along the edge of a glacier, with the sound of the moving ice beneath you, and you will have the opportunity to celebrate at the base of the tallest mountain on Earth as you stand under the icefall at Base Camp. You will then return to Gorak Shep to sleep.

The early morning ascent to Kala Patthar offers the most stunning and up-close views of both Everest, Nuptse, and Pumori at sunrise. After soaking up the spectacle, descend all the way back to Pheriche for some well-earned rest.

The trail back down. Re-enter the tree line and warmer altitudes before arriving at Namche, which now represents civilization again after coming back from the stark, glacial zone.

It is a long trek down to Lukla again, but you have done it before, and it will feel familiar. An end-of-trek celebration with your guide and porters on the last evening of the trip is a great way to finish and celebrate your trek.

A final characteristically panoramic flight back ends your epic journey, with the opportunity to reflect on what you have achieved: the landscapes crossed, altitudes gained, and memories secured.

You will arrive in the capital of Nepal and receive the warmest of welcomes, with hospitality at every turn. You will be transferred to your hotel in Thamel. After a chance to rejuvenate, you will meet your guide for a full trek briefing, gear check, and welcome dinner. Kathmandu provides a stunning juxtaposition of ancient temples and frenetic streets -your first taste of Nepal’s surreal tapestry.